Germany Crashes Out, Japan Causes Huge Upset
Japan defeat Spain with just 17.7% possession to set World Cup record Japan will face Croatia in the Round of 16 clash.
■ Hansi Flick’s Germany team failed to get what they needed despite beating Costa Rica, with Japan beating Spain in the night’s other game in their topsy-turvy group
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Germany sensationally crashed out of the World Cup despite beating Costa Rica at Al Bayt Stadium, with Japan stunning Spain to send Der
Team home at the group stage - just like in 2018.
Hansi Flick’s team knew nothing less than a victory could send them into the last 16, but Japan’s win in the other game meant they faced the improbable task of making up seven goals on Spain. Serge Gnabry put them ahead at the break, but goals from Yeltsin Tejeda and Juan Pablo Vargas briefly put Costa Rica into the qualification spots.
Luis Fernando Suarez’s team couldn’t hold on, though, and a Germany side who hit the post several times eventually completed their turnaround.
A Kai Havertz double put Flick’s men back in charge, before Niclas Fullkrug scored his second goal in as many games to make it 4-2, but it was too little, too late.
When Flick’s men first took the lead, it looked like a case of how many. Instead, though, the CONCACAF side found a response in a similar manner to Japan in Germany’s first group game, with Keysher Fuller stinging the palms of Manuel Neuer before levelling through Tejeda.
Jamal Musiala and Antonio Rudiger both hit the woodwork in pursuit of another goal, and Musiala then did so for a second time. Instead, though, it was the underdogs who scored the game’s third goal, through Vargas, after a VAR check.
Fullkrug was one of the players
introduced in the second period, looking to add to the crucial equaliser he scored against Spain. The striker had a golden chance to put his team back in front, only to fire
an effort into the face of goalkeeper Keylor Navas from point-blank range.